Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-19
ALEX. MCCLELLAN
The Career of tho Most Noted Dueiis. In
the Gulf States.


the Gulf States.
Town Topics.
Mrs. Clement c.. Clay, widow of the
noted Alabama Senator captured with
JEFF Davis, was concerned with the most
famous duelst the south ever produced,
in the person of Alexander Mcclellan.
He was nstive OF Kentucky, who for
many years wss prominent in politics and
society. He was an exquisite in dress
and manners, brilliant speaker and q
writer of tremendous power, possessing
the keenest wit and sarcasm. His at
tacks on the Van sBuren administration
gave him national celebrity.
He killed great many men during his
career. AS an instance of his deedliness,
for he always killed the man he fought,
may be mentioned his duel with General
Allen of Mississippi. He had heard that
Allen had made some sighting remark
about him. After Allen had accepted his
chslleEge Mcclellan declared that ne
would shoot out the tongue that made
the remark. The duel was fought at forty
PAGES with rifles, and he literally cut AL
lens tongue out as he threatened.
One instance exhibits his courage. One
sissippi town. While he was dismount-
ing notorious bully and desperate Of
that country, who bad killed many men
and was the terror OF the region, was on
the inside with his revolver cooked and
a watch in his hand. He had ordered the
room cleared in five minutes, and every
man had gone, although all were fighting
men. When Mcclellan entered the bully
faced him and with big oath informed
him of the facts, and that there were only
three minutes left before he should kill
whoever remained. Mcclellan, without
moving q muscle or drawing q weapon,
produced his watch, glanced st it, and
said:
"My name is Alexander Mcclellan. I
give you ten seconds to get out OF here or
you are dead man"
The fellow yelled out:
"By thunder, Colonel, one-half Of that
time will dol" and he was out IN two
seconds.
Lister on in his career he was haunted
by remorse. Man-killipg had left its
pains. His light WAS never out in his
room at night, and men said he slept not.
When the Mexican war broke out he told
the Rev. Peter DOMAIN, father Of the now
only Colonel Pat, that he was weary with
life; that he had never fourd any one
who could kill him, and he was going to
battle to seek death on the field, as he did
not want to commit suicide.
He entered the service as volunteer,
and from the first placed himself in the
front point of danger, commanding at
tention for his absolutelbravery. He was
promoted again and again until he reached
the head of regiment, when he was shot
through the body. Then he returned
home, saying he couldn's be killed, and
hazsrded his fate in several duels there.
afger. he grew more snd more eccentric,
and thought his opponents abused his
confidence by not killing him. Then he
met Mrs. Clay, beautiful girl of her
time.
She describes him as the most fascinat
ing man to women she ever met, posses
sing that serpentine power over women
which historians and romancers attribute
20 Aaron Burr-the same power that Mat
Tie Ould of Virginia had over men. Nc
Clellan proposed marriage to Mrs Clay,
but her friends Obi cted on account OF
his excessive duelllng propensities and
the fesr that she would be unhappy wi b
him. She asked him to wait six months
before replying and during the interval
did not daxe &C. meet him on account OF
aaxpoxsT over aer. L tle meanwhile